The past always comes back to haunt us
by brittbo212
Summary: "You sure know how to make an entrance, Sterling." mocks Elizabeth as Elliot's whole body tenses with the realization. He lunges at her, pinning her against him, one arm encircling her neck and the other pinning her arm behind her back. "You going to kill me, Spencer?" Elizabeth whisper dryly "I'd do it quick if I were you." as she flicks her knife near the buckle of his pants.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey thanks for checking out my story! I really love these Characters and hope I do them justice! You know the drill I don't own anything you know. Feel free to review so I can improve! Thanks!**

Why are we meeting here, Sterling?" Elizabeth gives the bar a once over. It was an alarmingly average Irish bar in the middle of downtown Boston, not exactly the place for a private meeting."It's not anything like your usual." She was definitely over dressed.

"We are meeting some old friends first." He pulls a police baton and a well worn file out of the trunk of his car before giving her a once over. "Give me a few minutes, study up, and then come in." She leans against his car casually flipping through the file skimming over the names on the pages. One name in particular jumping out at her. She quickly glances down at her watch, shoves the file into her bag and makes her way down the stone steps into the bar. There's a loud crash as Elliot pins Sterling onto a table. "I have a job for youIt's Maggie!"

"You sure know how to make an entrance Sterling." mocks Elizabeth as she subtly palms her knife. Elliot's whole body tense as the realization flashes across his eyes. He drops Sterling on the table before lunging at her. He roughly spins her around, pinning her against him, one arm encircling her neck and the other pinning her arm behind her back.

"You going to kill me, Spencer?" Elizabeth whispers dryly "I'd do it quick if I were you." she flicks her knife near the buckle of his pants. He puts a comfortable amount of space between them and reluctantly lets

her go. She pats his face "That's what I thought." She saunters to the bar, reaches over the counter and pulls a bottle of rum out from behind the bar top and places it in her bag.

"Sophie, who is she?" Parker whispers perplexingly looking between Elizabeth and Elliot. As Elizabeth encircles her arm through Sterling's patting him reassuringly.

"I don't know but she knows whats she doing." Sophie clears her throat bringing the levity back to the situation.

"Lets go discuss this some place private."

They file in behind Nate like school children. Elizabeth breaks away from the group making herself comfortable at the end of the bar within earshot of the conversation. She pours herself a drink and lazily begins flipping through the file again. Apparently someone named Maggie was extradited to Kiev in congruence with a missing Faberge egg, Maggie used to be married to Nate, all of it was boringly sentimental. The last page though, was full of some very appealing numbers. She pulls her phone out quickly making flight plans, first class, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson or had they switched to the Callaghan's. Running a quick scan of the no fly lists, four rows down, Damian and Natasha Henderson. So they were Jimmy and Emily Callaghan.

"How do you know her, Elliot?" questions Parker as she scoots onto the bar stool next to Elliot. She looks at him earnestly.

"She's nobody Parker."

"She doesn't look like nobody. She definitely looks like a somebody." Parker looks innocently between Elliot and Elizabeth.

"Let it go, Parker." Elliot clinches his fists and releases them before grabbing a beer and walking back to Nate, Sophie, and Sterling. Parker awkwardly makes her way over next to Elizabeth. She palms her wallet and phone quickly flipping through the wallet and screening through the phone. She huffs finding nothing offsetting or incriminatory.

"Find anything interesting?" Laughs Elizabeth as Parker slinks back into the seat next to her, sliding her wallet and phone back to her.

"Sorry." She sheepishly swings her feet back and forth. "How do you know Elliot?"

"What makes you think I know, Elliot?"

"Well, he got pretty angry when he saw you and he kind of like attacked you." Elizabeth laughs taking a swing of her bottle. She closes the file and toward Parker who is staring at her.

"Alright people our flight for Kiev leaves in 4 hours." Parker jumps up and runs back to Hardison as Elizabeth caps the rum and shoves the folder and the bottle back into her bag. She quickly makes her way over to Sterling.

"Darling, we have a plan to catch."

"Wait! I'm not working with them!" Elliot face is flushed with frustration. Elizabeth laughs to herself encircling her arm through Sterling's. She casually straightens his tie and reassuringly pats his arm.

"You don't have to. I'll do it. You have a different job Elliot. Retrieve my wife."

"Go fetch Elliot." whispers Elizabeth, she brushes her hand over his knee before palming his knife.

"Elizabeth." His voice dripping with agitation. He holds his hand out as he makes his way to her. She hands Sterling her bag and turns false shock and hurt filling her eyes. She clasps his hand, dancing her fingers up his arm before patting his elbow. His body relaxes into her.

"Next time." She whispers, brushing her lips against his cheek as she drops his knife into his hand."Let's go darling. We have a flight to catch." Elizabeth turns takes the bag from Sterling, kisses him and saunters out.

"That was quite a show, Elizabeth." Sterling eyes her as she takes her heels off, pulls her hair up and makes herself comfortable in the passenger seat ferociously typing on her phone.

"We have a private plane leaving out of Manchester-Boston regional Airport in an hour." She begins unpacking her bag, the file, her bottle of rum, several handguns, a lockpicking set, several sets of passports and identification.

"He rattled you. How interesting." She pauses momentarily from her phone glaring at him.

"I'm not rattled, Sterling! Now, we're the Callaghan's, newly weds, you were a big time defense attorney until you retired, you're filthy rich, we met at Christmas Party for your company, and you are blissfully unaware that I married you for your money. Anything you want to add, dear?" "You know what. Nevermind don't use dear." mumbles Elizabeth as she scrunches her nose. "So tell me our back story."

"I'd rather talk about that little number that just happened."

"Back story, Sterling. You didn't hire me to talk about our lives. I don't talk about my past and you don't talk about your daughter." Sterling visibly tenses "Now backstory! You've already been kicked out of this country once. So make it believable."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for continuing to read my story! You're the best. You know how it goes, I don't own anything you recognize and I really appreciate any feed back you have! Thanks! **

Harrison sighs, rubbing his hand over his face as more information flashes across his computer screen, murder, money, and deceit. They had come here to clear Maggie but everything had been complicated when that dark headed mystery from Elliot's past had shown up. Harrison still couldn't figure out how Elliot knew her. There was no visible connection. Granted no one really knew what Elliot did before Leverage. He never talked about it. Harrison sighs as the members of the team file in slowly making their way to the seats scattered in front of the projection screen.

"What do you have Harrison?" Questions Nate as pictures of Elizabeth and her many alias flash across the screen.

"Her real name is Elizabeth Henshaw. Her parents were murdered when she was 3. She was in the system until she was 11. This is where it gets interesting though, at 11 she was accused of murdering her foster parents."

"She murdered her foster parents at 11? She was just a child. What happened to her?" Sophie voice betraying her. She glance quickly at Elliot who sits silently watching the pictures of Elizabeth as they flash on the screen. His eyes betraying nothing of the emotions that lay behind them.

"There were doctor reports documenting severe physical and sexual abuse and DCS visits dated for almost her entire stay with the Jensons. Yet she was never taken out of the home. Most likely because of Mr. Jenson's connection with the local police. She drugged the Jenson's before shooting them multiple times with Mr. Jenson's hand gun. Had she been convicted on the original charges she would have been sent away for 25-life but both trials ended in a mistrial but because of her age and the overwhelming documented reports of severe abuse and tendencies toward violence the court put her in an institution until her "rehabilitation" 6 years later. But according to her record, she was constantly fighting, was a suspect in 3 unsolved murders at 3 different institutions, and spent most of her time in seclusion. Being so criminally accomplished at such a young age she attracted a lot of interest on the wrong side of the law and right before her release, Damian Moreau made a very generous donation to the institution she was staying in at the time." Harrison pauses letting the name set in. Sophie clutches Nate's hand as Elliot agitatedly drums his fingers barely able to control the hate pulsing through his veins. His anger awakening buried memories.

_Elliot stirs as Elizabeth's breath quickens and she sits up suddenly jumping out of bed and briskly walking to the bathroom. She sits on the floor of the bathroom, pulling her legs into her choking the tears back. She closes her eyes focusing on her breathing, in and out, in and out, in and out. This has to be done. It has to done. She has already put it off for far to long. This is her job. She covers her mouth as the guilt washes over her again and the tears slip out. Elliot pulls his shirt on making his way to the bathroom in pursuit._

_"You alright?" he attempts to open the locked door. Elizabeth jumps slightly at his voice. She takes a few quick breathes before answering. _

_"Yeah. Just give me a second." She quickly rinses her face and takes a few moments to collect herself before pulling out the hand gun hidden in the floor vent and tucking in it into the back of her shorts. She slowly opens the door as Elliot encircles her pulling her into him. She kisses him earnestly wrapping one arm around his neck and with the other silently grabs her gun. She pauses only a moment searching his eyes before shooting him in the side. She quickly pulls out of his grasp her face unreadable. She doesn't hesitate to put another bullet into his chest. Elliot's strength fails him as he falls to the ground gasping for breathe as his blood pools around him. She quickly walks over him, changes her clothes, and grabs her bags. _

_"Why?" He grabs at her as she makes her way past him to the door. She pauses setting her bag down near the door before kneeling down next to him._

_"Nothing personal, dear. It's just business." He grabs her throat his grip to weak to do any damage. She laughs mockingly before kisses him. "At least we got to have some fun."_

Elliot shifts in his seat attempting to shake off the memories.

"After that she disappears for awhile before showing up again several years later on the arms of some very significant government officials with an almost completely expunged record. She is said to have a connection in almost every aspect of government, and everywhere she goes unsolved murders of significant officials tend to pop up."

"But how has she gotten away with it?" puzzles Parker as the crime scene photos flash across the screen displaying several obvious murders and several very well staged suicides."If she is at every murder wouldn't someone eventually make the connection?"

"There's no set pattern to the murders and nothing to tie the crimes back to her." Harrison leaves the last picture up as he sits back down across from the rest of the group. "Thats all I've got. I've tried every avenue but there's literally nothing on her from from the age of 16-22. Except a few unexplained deaths of significant foreign officials. Other than that it's as if she disappeared."

"So she's a finisher." Mumbles Nate as Parker and Hardison glance at him questioningly "She's an assassin and based on this she's probably one of the best. So why is she here with Sterling?" Elliot clears his throat slipping out of his seat and digging a file out his bag. He tosses it onto the table as pictures of Elizabeth fly out across the table.

"She was acquired by Damien right after she was released and worked off the debt she owed him by fighting in his black-market fights. She was completely paid up in two years and in that time he helped her refine her skills. Now she's his front and his finisher. His way in and his way out. She's one of the best in the business." a heavy silence falls over the group as the realization of their situation sets in. "Damian has hands in almost every aspect of government including insurance. She's not here to kill anyone. She was sent to insure Damian's investments….If she is going to kill you she blindsides you. She doesn't intimidate. She gets in, gets the job done and gets out."

"How do you know that?" questions Sophie. Her voice dripping with concern and confusion.

"We worked together." Elliot shrugs his jacket on, straightens his tie, and makes his way towards the door. Hardison sits dumbfounded for several seconds before grabbing his briefcase and following after Elliot.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! The usual applies, I don't own anyone or anything you know and feedback is always appreciated! ****I added a few small changes and will be adding the next chapter in the next few hours. I hope to pick this story up again weekly until I can finish it out! Hope you guys have been well and I look forward to whatever feedback you have! **

_Elizabeth pulls the cover tightly around her as Elliot thrashes violently next to her, mumbling things she can't hear, his breathe rapid, almost panicked. She scoots closer to him gently whispering his name as she touches his arm. He twists suddenly pinning her against the backboard. _

_"Elliot. Elliot, its alright. You here. You're with me." His body relaxes and he rests his forehead against hers as she instinctively wraps her arms around him. "I"m here. I'm right here. You're with me." She wraps herself around him as he collapses into her. "It's alright. I've got you. I've got you." They sit like this for several minutes, her whispering unheard comforts and reassuringly running her hand up and down his back. _

_"I love you." he whispers, breathing it against her mouth as he kisses her. She freezes, closing her eyes, as her chest tightens and fear washes over her. "It's alright" He gently kisses her, longer this time with more meaning."I know." Elizabeth wraps her arms around his neck intertwining her hands in his hair and pulling him closer. "I'm going to go on a run. Clear my head." He kisses her one last time before, untangling himself from her and leaving the room. _

_"I love you too." Elizabeth sighs laying down on his side of the bed, pulling the covers tightly around her. She begins to drift to sleep, but her phone jolts her awake._

_"Darling, sleeping comfortably?" _

_"Damian, It's 3 in the morning. What do you want?" Her voice masking the nervousness she's feeling as she slips out of bed and peeks out the window. Damian laughs almost menacingly, clicking his tongue._

_" Elizabeth. I've missed your boldness…. I am slightly concerned, however, at things I'm hearing. Whispers of betrayal and traitorous acts."_

_"Are you questioning my loyalty, Damian?" Elizabeth huffs. She curls back into Elliot's side of the bed pulling the cover tightly around her. _

_"Richard is concerned with the amount of attention you are paying to Spencer. Concerned that you have lost sight of your duty. You've become distracted."_

_"I'm doing my job Damian! If Richard doesn't like it. He can come and do it himself!" she pulls a knife out from under the mattress, quickly tossing it into the bed post in frustration._

_"I trust you darling, but to eliminate any reason for doubt I need you to prove your loyalty."_

_"How." She barely breathes the word, dread washing over her._

_"By killing Spencer. Kill him. Prove your loyalty and come back to San Lorenzo. Keep it clean. You have 6 weeks to get everything wrapped up." The phone goes dead_

Elizabeth jolts awake grabbing blindly at her surroundings. Her heart racing she quickly, she jolts up, quickly realizing the bed next to her though slept in is once again empty. She checks the locks on the door and windows. The guilt overtaking her she leans against the door sliding to the floor covering her face with her hands willing the memories to fade. She rubs her eyes attempting to suppress the images dancing behind her eyelids. Images it has taken her years to suppress and one fleeting meeting had painfully brought them all rushing back. Elizabeth tucks her gun back under her pillow. She exhales roughly pushing everything back into the darkness. She quickly slips into the one dress she could snag in her size. She sweeps her hair to the side zips her dress up and quickly attaches her gun holster to her thigh comfortably hidden under her dress. She gives herself a once over before making her way down stairs.

"You look stunning, my dear." remarks Sterling as he offers her his arm. She stares at him almost sternly before taking it.

"How did the meeting with Maggie's boyfriend go?" She pauses as he turns in their tickets.

"How could you possibly know that?" muses Sterling almost mockingly leading her to a table near the dance floor.

"It's not hard to pinpoint. A women like Maggie only travels for two reasons, love or money. And she's not making nearly enough money to come all the way to kiev for a measly 9 million dollar faberge egg. When she has a multibillion dollar collection to tend to at home." He laughs patting her hand and slipping her an ear piece.

"Are you going to tell me how you ended up with a private room in the Embassy?" Elizabeth laughs quietly leaning into him as Sophie and Nate enter the ballroom.

"A women never kisses and tells." She whispers as Nate begins giving instructions. He was set on it being Alexander but something didn't feel right. It was too obvious.

"Nate there is something I need to tell you. It's on the tip of my tongue." Sterling smiles deviously as Maggie walks in on the arm of Alexander. He is followed closely by his assistant. "Oh yes, thats right. Try to have a good time now."

"I'm going to go check on something. Try not to have too much fun." Whispers Elizabeth as she pats his arm and follows Alexander's assistant out of the event and down the hall to a guarded door. They have an unheard conversation before the guard disappears into the door behind him. Elizabeth quickly ducks back into the event, takes a quick shot of vodka and grabs a glass of wine. As he makes his way back into the event she positions her self to drunkenly run into him. "Excuse me! I'm so sorry." She wraps her arm around his, pressing herself up against him. "You are VERY strong." Elizabeth slurs as she pockets his phone before he pushes her away. She quickly connects the phone to a homing device downloading his information to her laptop upstairs.

"Happy hunting?" Questions Sterling as he slips his arm around her waist. She smiles feigning drunkenness and leaning into him drops the assistance's phone into Sterling's pocket.

"Put that somewhere Alexander's little shadow will find it." she pats his pocket as Parker voice rings through the earpiece.

"I can't get past him." Elizabeth quickly grabs a bottle shoving it into Sterlings hand and leads him out of the event down the hall and into the door the guard was standing near just a few moments ago.

"Just follow my lead."

"You act like I've never done this before." Sterlings voice dripping with mock offense as she roughly runs her fingers through his hair and throws her arms around his neck guiding him backwards into the wall next to the guard. She kisses him sloppily.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! You can't do that here." Shouts the guard as he pulls her back.

"sssshhhhh! It's a secret my husband doesn't know." Slurs Elizabeth leaning into him and grabbing his face as Parker quickly makes her way to the door. "You have very pretty face." murmurs Elizabeth as Sterling clumsily leans against the wall acting as if he is going use the restroom.

"Ookkayy! Lets get you two out of here." He grabs one on each arm escorting them out of the line of the cameras. Elizabeth shoots up, elbowing him in the face. He swings clumsily at her before she kicks his knees out from under him and using the moment flips him over onto his back and drags him into the nearest unlocked room.

"I trust you can handle it from here?" Sterling shakes his head immediately becoming serious. "I just need to check a few things and then I'm back to San Lorenzo." She reaches out her hand.

"Always a pleasure" He gives her hand a firm shake before she exits back up to her room.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! I've been working like a crazy person but I like I said in the update on the last chapter I hope to maintain this on a weekly basis from now on. I have a better idea of where I want it to end up so fingers crossed. Sorry if this chapter is a little rocky I'm trying to get back into the swing of things. You know the drill, I don't own anything and any and all feedback is appreciated! 3 **

_"This hurts me more than it hurts you, Elizabeth." She slumps against her restraints as Damian crack the whip again and again against her exposed back. Her mouth snaps shut. The pain sending her far away. The sounds of summer fill her ears as the sun dances across her exposed skin. Elizabeth still mostly asleep scoots closer to Elliot, resting her head in his neck and wraps her arm across his chest. He gently runs his fingers down her arm tracing the scars from her shoulder to her wrist. All of which she has chosen to carry, reminders of her choices both good and bad. She shivers involuntarily at the lightness of his touch and scoots even closer whispering sleepy unheard words into his neck. Their moment of peace broken by the sudden sound of Elizabeth's phone. She shoots up off the bed wrapping herself in the sheet and reaching over Elliot. "Hello. Yes… Uh huh… Understood, give me 15 minutes." Elliot wraps his arm around her the back of her neck running his fingers through her hair pulling her closer again. "So soon?" he almost growls kissing her face, and neck. "Yes. My other lover needs me." She laughs kissing him between each word as she makes her way over him and off the bed. He grabs ahold of her sheet pulling her back in. She laughs into his mouth. "I really have to go." She pulls her sheet free and kisses him once more before exiting the room. The final crack bringing her back to the moment at hand. This was a small price to pay. Her few misbegotten months with him were worth much more than this, she deserved worse, much worse for the pain she brought him. He deserved so much better. "Now what do you have to say for yourself?!" Whispers Damian aggressively as he whips her head up. "Whose are you?"_

_"Yours." Elizabeth barely whispers the word but he seems satisfied with them. He kisses her firmly as if sealing an agreement and abruptly cuts her restraints before leaving the room. Her strength leaves her as the tears slip from her eyes and her breathe catches in her throat as her legs out from underneath her and she slumps into the puddle of blood gathering underneath her. Her world slowly fading out from around her._

_"Elizabeth! Wake up." whispers Richard as Elizabeth jolts awake in her bed. Richard is laying lazily running his fingers up and down her arm eyeing her like a piece off meat. "Damian is ready to see you." Elizabeth slowly gets out of bed and makes her way to her closet. Stripping her bloody clothes off._

_"You should be nicer to me, Elizabeth. I'm the only reason your still alive… In fact, you should be grateful.." He makes his way off the bed and over to Elizabeth shoving himself roughing against her, sweeping her hair to the side,and kissing her neck. "You should show some appreciation.." Elizabeth shoots her head backwards, slamming into his nose causing him to real backwards. "You'll regret that, Elizabeth." _

_"Fuck you, Richard." She slips into clean clothes and makes her way to the dining room where Damian is waiting for her. He smiles warmly at her, pulling her seat out for her, kissing her on both cheeks as if she had just returned from a long mission as if the night before hadn't even happened. "Enough small talk my dear." Damian clears his throat and pulls an envelope out of his coat pocket. "I need somethings done and I need to gauge where your head is and where your allegiance lies." He casually lies the envelope in front of Elizabeth. "This is a little different than your normal avenue but I need something where I can watch you a little more closely. You understand, Liz." _

_"Of course, Damian." Elizabeth smiles she quickly opens and scans the envelopes contents "IYS, The insurance company? You hold most of the stock, have hundreds of employees, what could you possibly need me to do there?" _

_"There is trouble brewing within the company. I need names and I needed them yesterday. You have contact that you will be working with. The new head investigator. He's under the impression that you are working with a private sector of the government. His name is James Sterling." _

Elizabeth quietly makes her way back up towards her rooms. She slows ever so slightly noticing the door slightly ajar and takes a moment steeling herself before making her way in. The wind is knocked out of her as her body is smashed against the wall, pinned between the wall and someone a good deal heavier than her, roughly kissing her neck, face, and mouth. A hand quickly encircles her throat lifting her up off of the ground. Elizabeth doesn't fight the burning in her lungs and darkness looming. Her eyes lock with those of the man she has been avoiding since the day she went to work for Damian. The man, that had bought her do called freemdom. The man she loathed.

"I know he's here. I know he's alive."

"Fuck you, Richard." She barely gasps the words out.

"How do you think, Damian, will feel when he finds out." he almost screams, tightening his grip. "I love you. Damian loves you and you've wasted it.. I.." His sentence is cut short as he folds to the ground dropping his hold on Elizabeth. She falls to the ground, clutching her throat gasping for breath as Sterling kneels down next to her.

"And you were concerned about me.." he chuckles to himself as Elizabeth smiles to herself as he helps her sit up against the wall. "You alright, dear?"

"Yeah. Why'd you follow me up here?" Before he can answer the door behind him opens and Elliot walks in, the look in his eyes unreadable as he takes in the scene laid out before him.


End file.
